Umberto de Pretto took up office as Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) in June 2013. He joined the IRU in 1995 as Head of Economic Affairs. He then became Policy Coordinator and Head of Strategy, and was appointed Deputy Secretary General in 2002. His vision looking forward to 2020 is that the IRU will lead the road transport industry in embracing innovation and making sure that the industry is ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

After graduating from Ottawa’s Carleton University in Political Science, Economics and International Relations, he worked as a Legislative Assistant for Ministers and Members of the Canadian Parliament and then moved to Paris in 1992 to take on the position of Head of the Transport Division, to be shortly afterwards named Deputy Director of the International Chamber of Commerce, responsible for International Commercial Practices and Techniques.

Born in Ottawa in 1961, Mr de Pretto is a Canadian and Italian citizen, is happily married and is a proud father of two boys.